Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Ice Cream

Here is the Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal of your fall breakfast dreams.

The "oats" hide beneath a velvety blanket of golden, spiced pumpkin cream on top. The recipe starts with a steamy, hot bowl of stove top simmered steel cut oats.

Then, fold in a few gem ingredients, such as crunchy nuts, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spices, flax seeds, soymilk and a hint of pumpkin puree that melts slowly into the hot mixture. Over top of this seemingly ordinary bowl of oats is the secret ingredient: silky, sweet, smooth, buttery pumpkin cream.

This is a great way to boost your diet with healthy omega-3 fatty acids!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Pumpkin Cream
vegan, serves 4-5 (I like to fridge or even freeze any leftovers for re-heating)
or simply make less if desired

Oatmeal:
1 cup steel cup oats
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats (optional - I used to thicken up a bit)

Once oatmeal is cooked and fluffy, fold in:
1 cup pumpkin puree (if using canned, add this when oats are still simmering so that it melts easily)
1/2 cup apple sauce (helps to sweeten naturally - sub with mashed banana or fave sweetener)
1-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1-3 Tbsp flax seeds
1/2 cup mixed nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts..)
sweeten to taste (maple or agave syrup, organic sugar, your choice)
non-dairy milk to loosen oats (about 3/4 cup added for me)
vegan buttery spread (as desired)

Serving - Add over top:
1/2 cup Pumpkin Cream per bowl of oats (more/less)

Garnish:
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp flax seeds
1 tsp vegan omega oil blend (Vega used)
splash of brain boost Silk soy milk
1/2 tsp vegan buttery spread

Pumpkin Cream:
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup soy milk (add more based on how thick or thin you'd like it)
1 Tbsp vegan buttery spread or virgin coconut oil + pinch of salt
dash of pumpkin pie spice
sweeten to taste (1-2 Tbsp maple or agave syrup)

Directions:

1. Bring your water to boiling in a large pot. Add in the steel cut oats, salt, spices and rolled oats. Bring to boiling and cover with lid. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender - usually 35 minutes or so.
2. When oats are cooked, remove lid and stir in the fold in ingredients. Continue simmering on very low heat to make sure everything melts together nicely.
3. Blend your pumpkin cream in a blender. I advise you to sweeten and salt to taste. You want a rich buttery flavor, mildly sweet. Remember you can always drizzle more maple or agave syrup over top - or add some raw or organic brown sugar to sweeten.
4. To serve, scoop the oats in a bowl and carve a little donut hole in center. Pour a nice puddle of the pumpkin cream in the hole. The hole oats should warm the cream just enough. Add as much pumpkin cream as you like and garnish as desired as well.

*Recipe: kblog.lunchboxbunch.com

* For more vegan recipes, visit the Lunchbox Bunch on Facebook here.